The use of the territory of a country house or cottage has long gone beyond the scope of an ordinary garden garden and acquired the function of a recreation area. Here, swimming pools are equipped, children's and sports grounds are established, landscape design is modified. For the rest of children and adults, a garden swing will be very handy. Today they are sold in a large assortment, but they can be made from improvised materials. Read more about what kind of swing and what are their features, read further in the article.
Materials the swing is made of
A swing can be made from almost any material. But its type affects how long the product will last, how safe it is and whether it will require additional maintenance.
It is also important that the design is collapsible, and provide the opportunity to remove the element of landscape design for storage in the cold season. Consider the most popular materials from which structures are made.
Swings are:
- metal;
- wooden;
- plastic;
- combined.
Did you know? The first images of the swing are found in Greek frescoes dated to the 5th century BC.
Wood
Wood is one of the most commonly used materials. If lumber is used, then they are protected from rotting and wood infection with fungi or termites. The advantage of wooden products is that they are in harmony with the surrounding nature and look very presentable.
But they have a significant drawback. They need careful care so that the appearance is maintained at the proper level. They should be regularly painted or varnished, periodically checked for chips and polished sharp protrusions, especially if there are children in the yard.
When buying wood products, pay attention to the type of material. For example, varieties of cedar and other conifers are resistant to rot and woodworm attacks. They are aesthetically attractive and can be used both outdoors and indoors. But if you bought models from chipboard, then keep in mind that you can’t leave them in the rain because of the possible deformation of the material and further gluing.
Metal
Not only the structure itself can be made of metal. Fasteners for plastic or wooden models are also made from it. Seats are often made from rubber or other polymers. Metal swing is very easy to maintain. Sometimes it is enough to check the appearance of rust, and if damage is found, clean the scratches and repair them.
A significant drawback of metal products is that they are usually installed permanently, without the possibility of moving around the site. So that children or adolescents do not drop the heavy structure onto themselves, it is recommended to fix the legs with concrete.
Forged models look very elegant and expensive. But, in addition to cost, they have another drawback - massiveness. They are not so easy to move and impossible to clean for the winter. Therefore, beautiful metal will deteriorate faster under the influence of rain and snow, and therefore need regular maintenance.
Did you know? Until the 20th century, swings were made of wood and steel. Plastic products began to appear only in 1970.
Plastic
Plastic is popular for its lightness and durability. Modern types of products are painted at the casting stage, so they do not fade and do not fade in the sun. Such models are resistant to temperature extremes, rain, snow, dust and dirt. In addition, they are very cheap.
In stores, plastic products are sold out faster than others. Plastic constructions do not require special care and will remain in their original form for many years. They need to be cleaned only once a year - before being placed in the garden before the summer season.
There are also synthetic materials that look like wood, but they are not. And, most often, this is also plastic. Therefore, you do not have to buy a wooden swing and worry about their integrity, if you can replace them with plastic of an appropriate appearance.
Varieties of Garden Swings
At the heart of any kind of swing is a seat suspended on chains or ropes. A Mexican hammock can also be one of them. Most often, swinging benches are hung on a metal or wooden frame. The simplest designs for children can be sold without a frame.
Then you need to choose a place in the garden and find a thick branch on which you can hang the product and securely fix it. Special models with a fabric seat and leg openings are available for babies. This helps the child maintain a vertical position at the time of movement.
From car tires
The simplest model is made from a car tire, which can be either new or used. Such products are often reinforced with a bar to increase safety and suspended from chains with fixation at three or more points. Chains are connected to a special swivel mount.
Important! Do not use ordinary clothesline for fasteners. You can purchase special belts coated with plastisol, — polymer plastic rubber, eliminating pinching fingers and tearing the product.
You can make a swing from the tires yourself. It is enough to pick up the mounts and connect them to the tire. In the presence of imagination, the original seat shape in the form of a horse, chair or other object can be cut out of the tires.
The finished product is painted to taste. The tire can be suspended vertically or horizontally, and for the convenience of sitting, install a wooden plank over it.
Wooden swing
Wooden models are suitable for any landscape. They are installed in the garden, on the terrace, in the playground. Such swings can be made in the form of a wide bench on chains, under or without a canopy. They accommodate several people and are designed for a lying position. Similar products are often sold complete with decorative pillows.
A simpler modification is a seat suspended on ropes. It can be used by both children and adults. Recently, there have been many options where the swing is one of the elements of a children's sports and gaming complex.
Out of the hoop
A hoop swing can be of two types. In the first case, the ropes that hold it are attached to the rim at the upper point. The item is decorated with decorative flowers, spruce branches and other elements to create the style of a fabulous forest. The lower part of the structure is braided with twine and soft woven material to make a comfortable seat.
The second type of swing from the hoop was named "nest". The center of the hoop is tied with ropes so that a strong web-like weaving is obtained. The rim is covered with cotton and sheathed in eco-leather or fabric. Then, along the hoop, several hanging ropes are fixed and hung with carabiners. The inner part acts as a seat.
Made of durable fabrics
This type of swing means any fabric seat suspended on ropes. The simplest example of such a model is a hammock. A baby cloth product consists of two pieces of durable material folded crosswise. Each end is fixed on a wooden plank.
Then they are connected with screws, leaving holes in the corners where feet can be lowered. Ropes for hanging are attached to the corners. The kid is sitting on a swing, legs down on the sides of one of the panels. From dense fabrics can be made and a chair for older children.
There is no front bar in it, and the seat and back are equipped with soft pillows.
Wooden swing on supports
The simplest wooden swings on supports are two A-shaped posts with a crossbar between them. A more complex model is the design in which the seat is located under a canopy and is partially protected from rain or bright sun. The pergola swing is also equipped with a canopy chair. Such products are most often made in the form of a gazebo.
Did you know? Swing fans have their own unofficial holiday — Swing Day, which is celebrated on August 4.
- When buying a model on poles, pay attention to many parameters:
- availability of a guarantee;
- water tightness of a roof;
- the availability of additional equipment;
- the ability to change the position of the back.
DIY swing
The manufacture of most models is not complicated and does not require special knowledge or skills. You just need to pick up the seat and equip it with ropes for hanging. Therefore, first of all, you need to decide on the desired model, select the material and boldly proceed with the creation.
Material and model selection
The easiest option to create will be a hanging structure with a bench seat that hangs on ropes. Hang it on a thick branch of a tree. 
Those who want to do something more original can look at the options described above, based on territorial and financial capabilities, purpose and seasonality.
Choosing an installation location
Swings for children are usually installed in the playground. If you plan to build a model for relaxation and there is enough space in your garden plot, you can create a relaxation zone with barbecue, a canopy, a table and stump seats. With a small area of the site, the best option for placing the product is in the gazebo or in the depths of the terrace, where the swing will be protected from rain, wind and sunlight.
If the swings are equipped with heavy metal legs, they should be installed on a tiled coating or a densely packed land, otherwise they will quickly push through loose soil and fail. Arc-shaped models can be placed on lawns and soft grass.
Step-by-step manufacturing instructions
Consider an example of making a classic swing with a hanging wooden, metal or plastic seat. This is the fastest way that does not require large financial investments, hard-to-reach materials and special skills.
For the equipment of a swing on a permanent support, you will need a list of simple tools, consisting of:
- bolts;
- dowels;
- boards;
- nuts;
- self-tapping screws.
A drill, hammer and saw are also useful for manufacturing. Using the latter, you need to make four identical beams that will serve as A-shaped racks. Before making supports, it is necessary to accurately measure the distances and mark the places of cut with a marker.
Important! When designing a children's swing, calculate the maximum load with a margin.
A step-by-step instruction for manufacturing a swing is as follows:
- Connect the bars with the bolts in the shape of the letter “A”, but so that between their ends you can put the fifth beam on which the ropes will be attached.
- Prepare a large beam for the crossbar.
- Deepen the racks into the ground. Check their level with any measuring device. If necessary, adjust and align the parallels.
- Remove the top beam and insert a pair of dowels with a hook into it.
- Prepare the seat. If it is wooden, then the board should be sanded and varnished so that the child does not get hurt. There should be no sharp corners in the seat.
- Drill holes and pull the fastening ropes through them.
- Hang the board on the hooks. Make sure all elements are securely locked.
Video: garden swing in 1 day
Decoration near the swing
The issue of placing decor and other architectural forms near a children's swing should be approached with caution, because the playing area should be, above all, safe. Since children often jump from a swing, the area under their feet should be grassy or sandy.
There should be nothing superfluous around, including decor, on the siteso that in case of a sudden fall, the baby does not get hurt on a flowerpot standing next to it. Another fate refers to the garden type of products intended for relaxation or decoration of the garden plot. To create a cozy atmosphere near the swing, greens and flowerbeds bordered by rocky lawns are appropriate.
Important! A security zone in which there should be no foreign objects, — This is the double height and width of the product. Tall trees and dense shrubs near the swing also should not be.
The idea of flower plantings can be embodied in non-standard original forms: alpine hills, rockeries, Japanese gardens, hedges. Weaving plants or flower arches will look especially impressive above a swinging bench. At the edges of the stationary product, you can install pots or flowerpots with lush plants, various sculptural elements.
A swing in a garden or park is itself a decoration. With their help, you can create original landscape compositions in combination with territorial features and additional decor. Children's products have a completely different character, in the area of which there should not be extra items. You can build both options yourself, using the above recommendations.
